Dancing With Death
by MagicByMerlin
Summary: Our favourite duo Merlin and Arthur are first attacked by a bear then thrown off a cliff, captured by bandits, fed to crows and almost drowned. How are they gonna get out of this one?
1. Chapter One

"RUN!"

"Belive me, I am!"

"It's still coming!"

"What is?"

It had started out like any other hunting trip, "pack mule" Merlin lugging all Arthur's gear along while the prince searched the forest floor for tracks. It was a beautiful autumn day, if a little chilly and brown leaves raced along the ground, weaving in and out between the tall trees.

Arthur was trying to stalk a deer, which had eluded him until now. It was some way off, eating a tuft of grass in a glade with long rays of sunlight shining down from the leafy canopy above. He silently positioned himself behind a fallen oak and took his crossbow from Merlin who mercifully seemed to have lost his clumsiness, for now at least. He loaded the bow expertly; never taking his eyes from the deer, and lifted the weapon up to lean on the fallen tree. He shifted it in to the perfect place; the arrow tip was just in the right spot. All he had to do was pull the trigger.

"Uhh…Arthur?" Merlin suddenly said beside him, breaking the silence.

Arthur's face twitched crossly but he refused to take his eyes from the deer.

"Arthur!" Merlin said more loudly and nudged him, causing the prince to waver from the perfect aim he had achieved.

"Shut up! Can't you see I'm busy?" Arthur hissed though gritted teeth and shifted the arrow tip back to the deer. He held his breath so that he wouldn't move. Gently he began to squeeze the trigger.

"NO!" Merlin suddenly yelled and roughly shoved him away so that Arthur rolled painfully down the small slope next to the fallen tree. The prince landed face first in a stream. Before he even had time to throw a barbed comment back at Merlin he was being yanked up and dragged at a run through the stream and over the mossy forest floor.

"What do you think your doing?!" Arthur yelled and tried to stop but Merlin just continued to drag him through the trees.

"RUN!"

"Believe me I am!" Arthur shouted back as the skinny boy somehow managed to keep pulling him along like a rag doll.

"It's still coming!" Merlin yelled, shooting a glance over his shoulder.

"What is?" Arthur looked over his own shoulder.

There was a huge brown bear lumbering along behind them, its thick furred skin flying one way and then another as it loped over the ground. Its jaws were filled with an array of razor sharp teeth, each and every one drooling a long strand of slime. It looked more than ready to rip the two young men to shreds.

Arthur's eyes widened in shock and he immediately forgave Merlin for interrupting him. He pelted over the ground, overtaking Merlin and dodging the trees that abruptly appeared in his path. Suddenly there was an ear-splitting yell and Arthur swung around to see Merlin being crushed beneath the bear's gigantic paws, its long black claws ready to rip him to pieces.

In a flash Arthur's sword was drawn and he flew at the bear, striking a blow to its shaggy shoulder. The bear reared up onto its hind legs, towering over the prince and growling savagely. Arthur grabbed Merlin and dragged him along behind him, running as quickly as he could. The bear, seemingly unhurt by Arthur's attack, smashed down to the earth again and hurtled after them, throwing hundreds of leaves up into the air as it went.

Arthur tried his best to pull Merlin along but he was like a dead weight, obviously hurt from when the bear had smashed him to the floor.

"Come on! Don't do this to me!" He shouted.

He was practically holding Merlin up now, his legs dragging across the floor. Suddenly there was a "whoomph" noise and the next thing he knew he was flying through the air and painfully hitting the ground. The bear was on him in a trice, its weight pushing all air out of his lungs and crushing him to the ground. Arthur was dimly aware of Merlin stirring somewhere to his left.

Maybe if he could get to his sword there might be some hope.

The bear was lifting a huge paw up, ready to slash him open. Arthur grabbed the hilt of his sword and desperately tried to draw it but the bear had a paw over the scabbard and it was impossible. Suddenly another hand was throwing his off the hilt and grabbing the sword itself.

Merlin drew the sword and waved it at the beast, swaying on his feet and bent over to the side slightly for some reason. Maybe when the bear had attacked him he had broken something.

The bear forgot Arthur and advanced on Merlin, snarling viciously. He stumbled back, franticly trying to strike the creature but it knocked the sword out of his hands and hit him hard in the side, rendering him unconscious and sending him flying.

Arthur scrambled up and ran over to Merlin before the bear could move. There was a long gash on his chest from shoulder to ribs, already drizzling blood. Arthur stared at it in horror but then felt the bear's steaming hot breath on the back of his neck. Without even looking behind him he grabbed Merlin, his body limp in his arms, and began to run for his life. The bear's heavy footsteps lumbered behind him, almost shaking the earth.

Suddenly the trees were thinning and there was a cliff like slope before him that led to a huge open plain with a long river snaking down into a sea of trees. Arthur barely noticed, blinded by fear. Before he had time to stop he and Merlin were tumbling down the steep hill, seemingly hitting every rock on the way down. The world just a blur of sky, ground, sky, ground.

The bear skidded to the edge of the slope, sending a hundred leaves down as it halted. It could not follow its quarry down the cliff. It was too steep for something its size. Reluctantly it gave up and loped away.

Arthur tried his best to stop himself from rolling endlessly down the hill but to no avail. Another bash to a rock and his head throbbed painfully. He attempted to grab onto the ferns that were all around him as he hurtled down the slope, his hands sliding over the slippery stems. He grabbed onto one and he momentarily slowed, only to have his hopes dashed as it uprooted and he began to slide again.

He flipped onto his back with the idea he could bury his feet into the ground and stop the fall. The crumbly earth refused to let him however and he suddenly saw he was coming to the end of the hill, only to find that it led to an even steeper one. In fact it was a sheer drop. He flipped onto his stomach again and dug his hands into the earth. They left long tracks in the soil but did not stop his decent.

Suddenly his legs were over the edge, the rest of him following closely. He scrabbled for a handhold and found one just in time, his legs floundering in the air. He desperately willed himself not to look down but he couldn't stop himself.

There was a glassy lake below, some feet away, at least thirty. He swallowed and stared back up at his single arm clutched desperately to the edge of the cliff.

Suddenly there was an increasingly loud noise of flattening ferns and abruptly a foot appeared over the edge. Merlin hurtled over the side, his arms following his head, which was lolling limply as it bumped over the rocky ground. Instinctively Arthur grabbed his arm with his available hand, the weight almost jerking his limb out of its socket as Merlin's fall halted.

Arthur's knuckles went white and he puffed with the effort of holding himself and Merlin by only one hand. He tried to pull them up but there was no way anyone could have done it.

Suddenly the rock he had glued his hand to began to crack. Arthur snapped his head up at the sound and stared at it, pleading with his eyes for it not to break. It ignored him however and slowly broke free of the cliff edge, cracking terribly, as if dragging out the horror. Once again they were hurtling down towards the water below, the wind whistling in Arthur's ears. He smacked into the water painfully, the surface almost like rock.

The prince floated slowly up to the surface; unconscious from the way he had hit the water. Gently the current carried him down the long winding river.

It carried him for hours, the prince being unconscious for most of it and when he wasn't all he could see were the vague outline of overhanging trees and the hazy blue of the sky. In these small lapses of awareness he had two primary concerns. One, had had broken anything? And two, was Merlin ok?


	2. Chapter Two

He swam in and out of consciousness for some time, the gentle water lapping at his face and the dim awareness of a few birds singing in the willow trees.

Occasionally he would bump into a rock that would painfully remind him of his bruised body and jolt his sore limbs.

When he tried to move his muscles failed him and he could to nothing but lie, floating in the water, hovering on the mark of consciousness and unconsciousness.

He floated for days (or at least it felt like it) and eventually he was woken when his head gently nudged something solid. Groaning, he turned himself over only to get a mouthful of mud. He spat it out and whipped a tattered sleeve across his mouth.

Managing to lift his head he saw that he was on the edge of a riverbank that led gently up to a long winding track that went into a densely packed forest. He did not recall ever having seen the place before and he wondered just how far the river had brought him. He also wondered were Merlin was as there was no sign of him ether way up the river. He picked himself up; wincing as he found his leg was severely bruised. Apparently he must have hit a rock in the water on the way down from the cliff. Apart from that he seemed to be in one piece, if a little disorientated.

Slipping about in the mud he limped out of the water and made his way slowly into the forest. He found a track that followed the river and he walked down it, hoping to find Merlin ether on one of the banks or still floating in the rivers currant. When he found nothing however he started shouting, in hope that maybe his friend had already dragged himself from the river and was in the forest.

"MERLIN!" Arthur cupped his hands to his mouth. He listened for a response but none came.

He searched the river bank for a few more minutes and found nothing so he decided that he would go further into the forest to ether find Merlin or someone who could help. He continued to call every five minutes or so but still no one answered.

Thoughts began to emerge in his head.

Maybe Merlin had drowned. He had been unconscious after all. Or maybe he had cracked his head open on a rock when he had hit the water. Perhaps he was only injured but couldn't move, waiting for Arthur to find him. He could be being torn to shreds by the bear for all Arthur knew.

He swallowed and shook the thoughts from his head. Thinking like that would only make him panic and that was one of the last things he needed.

Suddenly there was the sound of voices up ahead, carried to him by the breeze that rustled the trees tops above. For some reason (maybe it was a hunters instincts) Arthur hid himself in a bush near the path, where he waited to discover whether the voices belonged to those of friends or foes.

"Shut up Lenndred! The boss wants us on patrol so on patrol we go." A gruff voice said and a burly, bald man rounded the corner. He was wearing a black animal skin coat, a necklace of what looked only too much like teeth and was covered from head to foot in an assortment of lethal looking weapons, one of which was a long stick in his hand.

"Shut it Tom. Stop calling me Lenndred! It's _Lenn_!" An equally rough voice replied and another man appeared around the corner, looking more than a little annoyed. He was wearing similar clothes to the other man but he wasn't quite as burly.

"Shut it the both of you! Or I'll have Matt chuck you in the river!" Said yet another man who began to walk down the path. He had very little hair to speak of but what was there was a vibrant orange.

"Sorry Finnie." The other two men said simultaneously.

"What say you to that Matt? Fancy chucking these two in the river?" Finnie called to someone who was apparently not on the track.

"Would I ever!" Matt replied, his voice coming from close behind Arthur.

Arthur jumped, to intent to on the others to notice the fourth man behind him. A twig snapped under his foot and he pulled a face, knowing that they would have heard it.

"What was that?" Lenndred asked and there was the sound of a sword being drawn.

Suddenly a large pair of hands were pulling the top of the bush apart and a stubbly face appeared. Before he knew it Arthur was being dragged out of the bush by the scruff of his shirt and thrown to the floor.

"Looky here Finnie! Looks like one of them from over the river!" Matt said, drawing a curved sword and scraping Arthur's throat with it.

The three other men peered down at the bedraggled Arthur. The bald one kicked him in the side with a hobnail boot.

"Who are you then?" He growled.

"I am prince Arthur of Camelot." Arthur growled back.

The four above him burst into laughter.

"Ha, yeah right!" Matt said.

"We don't like liars. I would advise you not to do it again!" Tom said, leaning down over Arthur and prodding his forehead with a sword.

"Are you a spy?" Lenndred asked, narrowing his eyes.

"No! I-" Arthur began.

"Shut it!" Finnie said, kicking a bit of mud onto Arthur's face. "He's a spy. Tie him up and take him back to camp. Tom, do you think you can make him talk?"

"I'll make him sing." Tom said, grinning evilly.

"Lovely."

"Whoa, hang on! You four against me? That's hardly fair! Don't you want to call for back up?" Arthur grinned recklessly and shrugged off a hand that tried to pull him up.

Finnie just smirked and nodded to Lenndred who dragged him up and produced a rope from inside his coat. Arthur knew if they succeeded in tying him up then there was no escape. He leapt into action and kicked Lenndred in the stomach. The man staggered back and dropped the rope. Tom lunged at him and Arthur full on punch him in the jaw.

He made a break for it, wishing his sword was with him but it was still in the forest where it had been knocked from Merlin's hand and no amount of wishing would bring it to him.

Suddenly someone bowled into him from behind, knocking him flat onto the floor. Arthur spun round onto his back and threw the man of him with his legs. He sprung up and ducked as a fist flew into view. The intended punch missed and Arthur kicked the man's legs from under him. He tried to run again but suddenly Finnie was in front of him and the next thing Arthur knew he was whacked in the stomach from the stick he seemed to have picked it up from where Tom had dropped it.

Arthur stumbled back, clutching his stomach and coughing out a lump of phlegm, trying to breath, winded from the blow. Another whack to his head and Arthur was out for the count and groaning on the leafy forest floor.


	3. Chapter Three

Arthur was woken by a bucket of water that was thrown over him by Tom.

"Gergh." He groaned and shook his dripping head.

He appeared to be shirtless and tied to a pole by several ropes. They seemed to be in a cave that was lit by a few smoky torches on the walls. That was pretty much all he could see from his currant position.

"He knocked out two of our men?" A voice said somewhere behind him.

"Yeah. We think he's a spy from the other side."

"Finnie said he looked half drowned when you lot found him."

"So?"

"So why would a spy be half drowned when they have boats?"

"Don't know, maybe to make it look believable? They're a clever bunch over there." Tom said, eyeing Arthur with a beady gaze.

"Whatever, Almaric wants his name. Make him talk." The other voice said and walked away.

"Well? What's your name then eh?" Tom said, digging a dagger into Arthur's neck.

"Blerh." Arthur groaned, his head pounding.

"Talk!"

"Where am I? Where's Merlin?" Arthur croaked, blinking dazedly.

"What did he say?" Someone suddenly said and Matt appeared from a shadow, his arms folded.

"He said something about some Merlin guy. Maybe an accomplice?" Tom said.

"Well?" Matt asked Arthur.

"Where am I?" Arthur croaked again.

"He defiantly said something about a Merlin." Tom said.

"He's half dead. Go put him in the cells. I'll send out a search party for any accomplices." Matt said, strolling away.

"You gonna come quietly?"

"Tell me where I am!" Arthur demanded.

"I'll take that as a no." Tom said nastily and clobbered Arthur over the head with the butt of his dagger.

When Arthur woke again he had his shirt and jacket back and appeared to be in a small gloomy cave that was probably a cell. There was a thick wooden door on one wall and a small grate with heavy metal bars on the ceiling for light.

The cell was empty except for himself and a good deal of half frozen puddles on the floor. It was extremely cold so Arthur backed up against a wall and hugged his knees to conserve what little heat he had left from when he had been dumped in the room.

His breath coming out as clouds of white he wondered where Merlin was if he was even still alive. Matt had said he would send out a search party to look for him. Arthur was glad that was happening because it was probably better for Merlin to be stuck in a cell than a river.

He took a deep breath. If Merlin had drowned what would he do? He owed him so much and yet he had barely even said thank you. Arthur decided that if Merlin was alive then the first thing he would do was tell him how much he appreciated all that he did for him (even the sarcastic comments.)

He thought that it wouldn't take them long to find Merlin but no one could tell him just how wrong he was.

It took days.

Arthur was left in the freezing cave for about three days without food or water so he was reduced to drinking from the ice-cold puddles, which I can tell you did not taste nice. There was nothing to eat in the cave however so he slowly grew hungrier and hungrier and increasingly worried.

He tried to see if there was some way of moving the grate but it was far too strong to be broken off.

He spent most of his time trying to listen to anything that might give him clues about where he was and how the search for Merlin was going. But there was no talking or anything else of value worth hearing on the other side of the door.

He wondered why no one in authority was coming to see if this new captive in his dungeons was any threat for no one had been in the cell since he had been thrown there.

On the fourth morning there was a noise outside the door. Arthur leapt up, wondering what was going on.

The door's many bolts were unlocked, the noise echoing around the cave loudly. Arthur's heart began to race. The door opened and two men threw a poor excuse for a human into the room. They immediately shut the door again and their footsteps pounded away.

"Merlin?" Arthur crawled over to the drenched heap of clothes and turned it over. Arthur's heart leap with relief and joy to see the familiar face of Merlin groaning up at him. His clothes were wet, indicating that he had probably still been unconscious and in the river when he had been found. There was still that long gash stretched across his chest and several smaller cuts speckled his face but he was alive, that was the main thing.

"Ung…am I alive?" Merlin groaned, trying to sit up but failing.

"Yeah. Yeah, you're alive." Arthur grinned, "Are you ok?" He asked, trying to keep in his relief. If Merlin knew he had worried he'd probably only laugh…

"I think I've got a broken rib." Merlin hissed in pain as Arthur propped him up against the wall.

"Really?" Arthur frowned, concernedly.

"Yeah. I think it happened when the bear got me."

"Lets get a look. If its broken then your gonna need a physician."

Merlin obediently lifted the corner of his sodden shirt, wincing as he moved his side. He did indeed have a broken rib. It was quite clear as it was poking out slightly.

"You need a doctor." Arthur swallowed. It looked pretty bad.

"Tell me what happened. I can't remember anything after the bear hit me."

"We fell off a cliff and into a river and I suppose it carried us to wherever we are now." Arthur said, climbing to his feet and heading for the door.

"Where are you going?" Merlin asked, wringing out his shirt as best he could.

"I'm getting you a physician." Arthur explained and banged his fist loudly on the door.

Merlin looked around the cave, mostly for a way of escape. He saw the grate but the bars that made it looked only too solid. Maybe if he used magic…

He glanced at Arthur who was still pounding the door with his fist to get some attention, far too busy to notice if Merlin cast a quick spell on the grate. Which spell to cast though?

Suddenly there was an angry voice on the other side of the door and a sliding window on the thick wood opened to reveal a face.

"What do you want?" It asked crossly.

"My friend has a broken rib. He needs a physician."

"Broken? I'll see what I can do." The guard said begrudgingly and went away.

Arthur turned around satisfied and saw Merlin staring at the grate.

"If your wondering whether we can escape through there I've already tried. It's impossible." Arthur sat down heavily beside Merlin and lent against the wall, looking up at the roof of the cave.

Merlin nodded but continued to stare at it anyway.


	4. Chapter Four

A few minutes later a physician and a guard came into the cell, the physician with his arms full of bandages and the guard with a drawn sword. The guard closed the door behind them and stood there to wait for the physician who began to fix Merlin up.

"Is he going to be alright?" Arthur asked as the physician tied off the bandage that went around the gash and broken rib on Merlin's torso.

"Yes. It's nothing too serious but he needs to be kept warm and eat something." The physician eyed the guard crossly. It seemed that he did not like the way things were run around here.

"I'll get them some food." The guard sighed and they went out the door.

He returned half an hour later with two bowls of soup on a tray.

"Boss wants to see you, so hurry up." He grunted and locked the door behind him, after having set the tray on the floor.

Arthur got the tray and handed a bowl to Merlin before taking his own.

"Met the boss yet?" Merlin asked, wolfing down the stew hungrily.

"No." Arthur said, stirring the soup thoughtfully with a spoon. He was hungry, in fact starving would be a better word, but he was wondering what he was going to say to this "boss." Would it be a good idea to tell him his name and position or not…

"Are you going to tell them who you are?" Merlin voiced his thoughts, getting the last traces of the soup out with his tounge, lacking a table to have manners with.

"I don't know." Arthur picked at the soup half-heartedly.

There was a pause.

"Do you want this?" He asked, nudging Merlin with the bowl.

"Why? Don't you?"

"No."

"Are you sur-"

"Take it or wear it Merlin. You always did look half starved." Arthur said, shoving the bowl into Merlin's hands.

Merlin knew better than to argue and took the soup. He gulped down the warm liquid hungrily. It seemed like years since he had eaten.

He wondered why Arthur was suddenly being so generous but he dared not ask when the prince was obviously in deep thought. He was probably thinking about what he was going to say.

He finished the soup and licked his lips for the last traces of food. He really was famished.

Suddenly there was the pattering of footsteps outside the door and the lock on the door clicked. Three men entered the room. Arthur didn't know any of them.

Merlin flinched as one of the men pulled him up roughly and tied his hands behind his back, jolting his broken rib in the process.

They were dragged by the ropes out of the cave and down a short passageway that soon led out into the open air.

They seemed to have just emerged from a cliff wall and into a large camp that had been positioned in the shadow of the rock face. There were tents, fires, sitting logs and dozens of rough looking men milling about, all covered in dangerous looking weapons. The floor was covered in brown leaves, as were the oak trees that surrounded the entire settlement.

The place looked as though it was about to go to war, with all the hustle and bustle that was going on.

They were led into a large, dull red, animal skin tent that smelled of old boots and wine, where they found a few people pouring over a table of maps and diagrams.

Finnie was one of them, his fiery orange hair sticking up through his fingers as he ran a hand over his head. There were a few other people in the tent but their presents were overlapped by the commanding aura of a man who stood behind the table that was situated inside the tent.

He had a long shaggy mane of black hair that fell to his broad shoulders and wore a frayed brown shirt, a large necklace of what might have been bird beaks, as well as a grey tabard that had an intricate symbol imprinted on the chest. His weathered face was disfigured with dozens of deep scars, one of which ran across his right eye, causing it to be dull and unseeing. His other eye however was a deep, almost black, brown that could be clearly seen, even though he had yet to lift his head and acknowledge their entrance to the tent.

"Ahh, my two newest captives." He said in a gruff voice, not looking up.

"We found them by the river, Almaric. We reckon they're spies from the other side." Finnie said.

"Spies? Well, speak up. Who are you?" Almaric raised his eyes from the table, looking at Merlin and Arthur whilst taking a swig of gin from a flagon in his hand.

"We are not spies. I am prince Arthur or Camelot and this is Merlin, my manservant." Arthur replied, his face stony.

The tent burst into laughter, causing Arthur's face to become even harder.

Merlin could see why they were laughing however. Arthur looked anything but a prince in his unkempt state, slightly stubbly from lack of shaving and his clothes filthy.

"Ooh! Does little prince Artie want his crown? Does he want his ickle soldiers to protect him?" One of the men sneered mockingly, sending a glob of spit into Arthur's eye.

In a split second the prince had wrapped a foot around the other mans ankle, unbalancing him and causing him to crash to the floor. The guard behind Arthur immediately cuffed him hard round the head and shoved him down to his knees, his fingers digging painfully into the princes shoulder.

"Why you-!" The man began, springing up and holding a threatening fist above his head.

"Let it go, Kaden." Almaric growled, grabbing the man's wrist with a large hand.

The man yanked his arm free and muttered something Merlin didn't quite hear (which was probably a good thing) and stalked out of the tent, shooting a murderous look at Arthur who returned the stare with one equally vicious.

Arthur attempted to climb to his feet but the guard behind him just tighten his grip on the prince's shoulder, making him flinch with pain.

"What do we do with 'em then? We could just let them go. They weren't doing us any harm." Finnie grunted from his corner of the table.

"Finnie, Finnie, Finnie. You may be my Leftenant but you still have a lot to learn." Almaric said, taking another mouthful of Gin.

"Why? What did you have in mind?"

"They know where our camp is so spies or not they're a potential threat."

"So we kill them?"

"Hang on a min-" Merlin started but only earned a cuff round the head and a shove to the ground, like Arthur before him.

"Oh we'll kill them alright but we need to make an example of them. Show that lot over the river whose boss." Almaric mused.

"How about the crow cages?"

"Yes, very good! You're learning Finnie." Almaric said and knocked his Leftenant on the shoulder.

"The what cages?" Arthur asked.

"You'll know soon enough!" Almaric smiled nastily, "We'll take 'em up at noon tomorrow. It'll be hottest then, more uncomfortable."

Finnie snapped his fingers and Merlin and Arthur were dragged to their feet, to be led back to the dungeon in the cliff wall.


	5. Chapter Five

"Whatever these crow cages are, they wont be pleasant. That grate is our best bet." Merlin pointed out, pacing up and down the cell.

They were back in the cave and trying to escape from it via the grate. Arthur, however, had doubts.

"There's no getting out that way. That thing is unmovable! I've already tried!" He argued.

"That's when you didn't have me."

"I hardly think you can move it, especially with a broken rib. Even if you did have my help that thing is way too strong! Besides there's that long tunnel to consider." Arthur waved a hand at the iron bars that covered the hole.

There was indeed a long straight tunnel leading to daylight that shone brightly down from the top of the rock that the cell had been carved into.

"It's worth a try!" Merlin retorted.

"Fine, if it shuts you up!" Arthur got up from where he had been sitting and raised his arms to the grate.

Merlin went over to help and together they tried to move the grate. The strong iron bars didn't move an inch.

"There! Satisfied?" Arthur said sarcastically and retreated to his sulking by the wall.

Merlin bit his lip and waited for the prince to look away so he would be free to cast a spell on the bars. Eventually he did and a flash of gold later the bolts loosened on the metal and Merlin caught them silently as they slid out.

He raised a hand to the bars and knocked it lightly. It immediately fell out of place and clattered to the floor, Merlin side-stepping smartly to avoid it.

A glance at Arthur revealed a totally stunned prince, his mouth opening and closing like a fish.

"H…how…how did…what?" He stammered and sprung over to the now open hole.

Merlin rubbed the back of his neck and grinned sheepishly.

"But…but…how…?"

"Erm…"

"How did you do that?" Arthur demanded.

"Don't really know to be honest…" Merlin shrugged.

"But…you…how?" Arthur stopped and narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "Fine, keep your secrets. I guess I should thank you."

"Yeah, well, it was nothing."

"Come on, let's go." Arthur said and hauled himself up into the hole.

"What's it like?" Merlin asked, peering up into the hole.

"Small. Stay there. I'll go first."

Arthur bridged his arms and legs against the sides of the tunnel and somehow managed to jump up it, moving about a foot at a time with each leap.

Merlin heard footsteps outside the door and froze. There were a few murmurings outside and the footsteps echoed away again. He heaved a sigh of relief and cast his attention back to Arthur who had neared the top.

If he fell now it would end in something getting broken at the very least.

Merlin wondered how he was meant to climb up the long tunnel with a broken rib but was interrupted from his thoughts before he could answer that question.

"Psst!" Arthur hissed from the top of the shaft way, his head poking over the side and casting a long shadow down the rock.

"Is it safe?" Merlin asked hesitantly.

"It's fine! Come on! I think someone's coming."

Merlin somehow pulled himself onto the small ledge at the bottom of the tunnel, his rib protesting painfully.

The cylinder shaped shaft way was caked in bits of moss that were damp with dew, making it even more difficult to jump up it using the bridging method. It was the only way of getting to the top however so he knocked his hands and feet into the wall to begin the ascent.

His feet kept slipping on the slimy walls and his rib began to ache horribly, making it difficult to use the arm on that side.

Nevertheless he managed to get to the top and forced himself not to look down. He threw an arm over the edge and scrabbled with his feet, not quite being able to drag himself out of the hole.

"A bit of help would be appreciated." Merlin groaned and looked up to find the prince who seemed to have disappeared.

The hole led up to the top of a huge flat rock with a grassy slope going off to the right and a sheer drop to the left. If you were to look over the side of the drop you would find the bandits camp at the bottom.

It was a pretty good view but Merlin had no time to admire it.

He was looking upon a pair of shoes that most defiantly weren't Arthur's and as Merlin raised his gaze up to the persons face he saw that it was Finnie, arms folded and an ugly smirk on his face.

Arthur was struggling violently with two other men behind him. They had him bound and gagged, which explained why the prince had not been able to warn him.

Merlin groaned and closed his eyes in dismay.

They had been caught.

Two men dragged Merlin roughly out of the hole and the next thing he knew he had been hit over the head and the world was slowly swimming into black.

"Was that necessary?!" Arthur yelled at Finnie, pushing the rag that had been gagging him out of his mouth with his tounge, referring to Merlin, out cold on the floor.

"Zip it, unless you want the same." Finnie growled, indicating for his fellow thugs to take them away.

Arthur watch furiously as Merlin was dragged along by his feet, no one taking his arms and his head bumping horribly over the rock.

"You can't treat him like that!" He fumed a he himself was pulled away.

"Watch me." Finnie sneered.

It was then that Arthur swore he would make them pay.


	6. Chapter Six

"Glerr…" Merlin groaned as he woke up.

From what he could see he was once again back in the cave dungeon.

This was becoming a bit of a routine now.

A vague and blurred face appeared and he felt a pair of hands on his shoulder, shaking him roughly.

"Alright! I'm awake!" Merlin exclaimed as the hands shook him more violently.

His vision cleared and expected to see Arthur but instead found yet another bandit before him, brandishing a bristly rope.

His head throbbed as he was dragged to his feet and had his hands tied in front of him, the coarse rope digging deeply into his wrists.

He was led out into the blinding light of noon, which was surprising. He must have been out for the whole night and morning.

Arthur and his own squad of guards were waiting for him, as well as Almaric and Finnie. It was then that Merlin remembered that he and Arthur were to be put to death today. What was it that Finnie had said? Crow cages or something like that?

Everything was a little hazy for Merlin. He had been hit over the head pretty badly.

The worse was still to come however as he and Arthur were tied to separate horse saddles by the ropes around their hands and made to sprint after the horses, the dust from their hooves flying into their faces making Merlin desperate for a drink. It seemed as though he hadn't drunk something since that soup the other day.

He could only imagine how Arthur felt since he had insisted that Merlin take his share of the stew. He must be ravenous.

They were led through a sandy plain with very little trees to speak of, the sun high in the sky, beating down on their backs relentlessly, making sweat bead down their foreheads.

Soon there was a change in the landscape in the form of a very huge and steep rock, jutting out from the flat plain like a giant spearhead. There was a faint shadow of some strange structure at the top that vaguely resembled a crane. Also there was an odd black cloud floating high above the summit that looked like a huge flock of birds.

Arthur was baffled at this because he had never been to this place before. The river must have carried them very far that was for sure. That meant that any search parties from Camelot would probably have no hope of finding them.

The horses were left with a few of the men at the foot of the hill and Merlin and Arthur were dragged like animals up the steep rock to the very top that was only a small platform, the very summit of the rock.

There was indeed a crane like structure with a strong oak frame sticking out over the edge of the rock. There were several cages hanging off the many poles of wood that the crane had, dangling right over the huge drop below and some meters away from the edge of the rock. The crates were just tall enough to sit in and about big enough to fit three people in size.

On the crane's side there were a few cogs and wheels with a large handle that was designed to fold out when desired.

Three of the men left the party and took the huge handle, beginning to turn it, the crane slowly spinning round, closer to the edge.

As the cages swung closer Merlin could see what inhabited them and it suddenly hit him what this all about.

Browning skeletons sat in the cages in various different positions, some with their arms hanging out of the cage bars, desperately trying to reach safety and others with their arms covering their heads as if they died trying to keep something away from them. The something was no doubt the huge crows that whirled about in the sky, cawing ominously, their black bodies causing hundreds of shadows to dance across the platform, skimming over the people there in their thousands.

Merlin was absolutely terrified (rightly so) and a glance at Arthur showed him that the prince was just as horror stricken as he was.

Their execution was to be eaten by crows.

"This must be a joke!" Merlin hissed to him as the cages were dragged onto the platform and a pile of bones was thrown out.

"I don't think these guys joke, Merlin." Arthur replied.

"What are we going to do?!"

"Hit me."

"What?"

"Hit me! If we start a fight then they'll come over and I can get one of their knives!"

This seemed a reasonable idea so Merlin promptly hit Arthur who retaliated with a shoulder ram.

"You idiot! This is all your fault!" The prince yelled, deafening Merlin.

"My fault? That's rich! If it's anyone's fault its yours, you prat!" Merlin shot back and kicked him in the knee.

"Moron!" Arthur shouted back, knocking Merlin with his elbow.

"Bonehead!"

"Nutter!"

"Imbecile!"

The fight had the desired affect and a guard sprung over to attempt to drag Merlin off Arthur who had just exaggerated a fall after a hit. He grabbed the scruff of Merlin's shirt and as his back was turned Arthur somehow managed to pull a small knife out of his belt, which he slid up the inside of his sleeve.

"Perhaps we should just leave them to kill each other, eh!" Someone sneered sarcastically.

That was good. It meant that no one had noticed Arthur had got the knife.

"Well, any last words?" Almaric growled with an accompanying smirk, coming to stand before them with Finnie just behind him.

"I'd hate to die twice. It's so boring." Arthur grinned and raised a cocky eyebrow.

Merlin beside him stifled a grin at the prince's recklessness.

"Ha, ha. Aren't we witty." Almaric curled his lips into what may have been a smile. He struck Merlin as the sort of man who didn't smile a lot.

"No, just me." Arthur replied with a brash grin plastered across his face. He certainly knew how to die in style.

Almaric shook his head, amused.

"It's almost a shame to have you killed." Almaric said and nodded to a few men who threw Arthur and Merlin into a cage and tied their hands behind them to the bars, which were made of some sort of very starchy and stiff rope.

Finnie closed the door to the crate and signalled for the handle to be turned.

As it was turned and the crane swung towards the precipice again, the cages scraping across the ground, Merlin couldn't help but be frightened even if Arthur did have the knife. If something went wrong this would defiantly end badly.

Suddenly the cages swung off the edge and Merlin's stomach flew to his ears as he looked down between his feet at the only too far away ground.

"Au revoir." Almaric sneered and mock saluted before disappearing behind the rocks slope.


	7. Chapter Seven

"Have you got the knife?" Merlin asked, dragging his eyes from the sight below him to Arthur who was on the opposite side of the cage, his feet a foot or so away from Merlin's own.

"Yeah, I'm trying…" Arthur said, his tounge comically sticking out as he tried to slide the knife out of his sleeve and cut the rope around his wrist.

"Hurry!" Merlin looked up at the sky at the black crows that were already beginning their decent to lunch.

"No!" Arthur suddenly shouted and Merlin saw a flash of metal in the scorching sun.

Arthur had just dropped the knife and their only hope of escape.

"No!" Merlin hit his head on the back of the cage angrily.

At that moment the huge crowd of crows flew around them and they were suddenly consumed in the cloud of black-feathered birds.

"Death by crow. I never thought it would end this way." Arthur shouted through the feathery storm whilst sending a crow flying with a well-aimed kick.

"End?" Merlin yelled back, also kicking a crow away into a circular spin towards the ground.

"Yeah, unless you've got some miraculous escape plan!"

Merlin had to admit he didn't. He could use his magic to unravel the ropes around his wrists but he would have to be able to see them if he was to do that, and as they were behind him he couldn't. He could cast a spell but that would require speech and there was no doing that in front of Arthur without the prince noticing.

He briefly wondered if this was it. Was this the moment in his destiny when Arthur would finally discover the truth? Could he trust him?

Suddenly a crow behind him pecked painfully at his fingers, taking a chunk of flesh with it. The noise of the birds was deafening and Merlin thought that it would probably take a while to knock out of his head if they did survive this. His ears bleeding, along with multiple pecks all over him and his rib severely hurting, Merlin wondered if they would get out of this scrape as they did with all the other adventures that they naturally seemed to attract. This was barely something you could call an adventure thought. It wasn't every day you got eaten by crows.

This was not to be that day however.

The birds seemed to be giving up. Their prey was too alive for them. They would come back later when they were more dead and easier to eat.

Merlin watched as the crows gave up one by one and went back to whirling around in the sky, though some stayed and pecked half heartedly at the old skeletons in the other cages.

"They'll be back." Arthur said darkly.

"Don't remind me."

"Are you alright? You seem to be missing a bit of shoulder."

Merlin turned his head to his shoulder that did indeed have a chunk missing from it.

"Great…" Merlin tried to reach the wound and wipe it with his chin but he could quite get to it and gave up.

"Watch out." Arthur bit his lip and looked at something behind Merlin.

Merlin twisted his head around and was surprised to see a determined crow flying at him, having just taken off from one of the cages.

"Shoo! Shoo!" Merlin flapped his hands as much as the ropes would allow him in a hopeless attempt to scare the bird away.

The crow was not so easily startled and landed on the back of his neck, its talons digging painfully into his skin.

"Get off!" Merlin shook his head to try and unbalance it but the rook only dug its claws in deeper.

Suddenly the scarf around Merlin's neck (miraculously it was still there) began to loosen and before he knew it the crow had it in its shiny, black beak and began flying away, cawing victoriously, to one of the other cages.

Arthur burst into laughter at the look on Merlin's face.

"It's only a scarf, Merlin!"

"LOOK WHAT IT'S DOING!" Merlin seethed as the bird proceeded to rip his beloved neckerchief into long, red shreds.

"Shame really. We could have used it for shade." Arthur said, staring crossly at the sun that had decided to be a blazing ball of fire for the day.

Merlin sighed heavily and lent against the cage wall.

"Right, we need to escape." He said.

"Talk about stating the obvious!"

"We could swing the cage and jump onto one of the other ones…except we're tied to this one…" Merlin mused, inspecting the options of escape that were present, "Or maybe if we jump up and down the floor might break…but then we'd fall…"

"Merlin."

"Or we could try calling for help…except no one would hear a thing when we're up here...perhaps we could send a crow with a message to someone…no, no that wouldn't work…"

"Merlin."

"Or I could eat a hole through the bars…"

"MERLIN!"

"Umm…yeah?" Merlin stopped his ranting and final took notice of Arthur.

"I…umm…well…if we don't get out of this…" Arthur muttered.

"What?" Merlin asked, frowning with confusion.

"Well…umm…you know when I always call you an idiot…I never mean a word of it." Arthur said quietly and looked at his shuffling feet.

"What?" Merlin reeled.

"What I meant is…I'm sorry. I shouldn't treat my best friend in the way I do. Don't ever let me take you for granted again." Arthur mumbled and seemed to become extremely interested in his shoes.

"What did you just say?" Merlin stuttered with absolute surprise. This was so unlike the prince it scared him. Where had the old Arthur gone? Who was this impostor?

Arthur was slightly shocked. He had thought it obvious that he counted Merlin among his friends. Was it really so hard to belive? He didn't have to ask. He already knew the answer.

He never thanked Merlin or appreciated a thing he did. He just told him to get on with some job or other. Or when he was trying to say something important Arthur would just brush him off like he was an annoying pest.

He had saved Arthur's life from Lady Helen but all the prince had been able to do was stutter and gawp and think how on earth such an idiot could have saved him.

Arthur felt like kicking himself. How could he have been so tough on him?

"You heard me." He said.

"…" Merlin seemed to be having a heart attack by the look on his face.

"Crow got your tounge?" Arthur asked.

"Who are you and what have you done with Arthur?"

"Oh, come on. Don't milk it."

"..."

"Anyway…umm…any ideas? You were full of them earlier." Arthur asked, referring to escape and trying to change the subject, swallowing with embarrassment.

"Err…" Merlin coughed and cleared his throat, "Try rubbing the rope together. Maybe it'll wear away." He still looked like he had just suffered from cardiac arrest but was clearly trying his best to recover.

Arthur said nothing but instead executed the idea and began to rub his wrists together. He could feel the friction making the twine hotter and hotter and it began to burn his skin slightly but didn't break the rope.

Merlin was having just as much luck (not a lot) and stopped suddenly.

He had just had an idea. He could bring the knife up from the ground below and cut the ropes.

Arthur was busy with his own rope shaped problems. This was Merlin's chance.

The knife was too far away to see but maybe if he concentrated really hard then he would be able to bring it up regardless.

He stared down at the dusty ground beneath the cage, hundreds of feet away, and thought that maybe there was the smallest shimmer of metal in the sun, or perhaps it was his imagination.

A flash like a golden storm in Merlin's eyes showed that it had not been his imagination but was the knife.

The dagger was flying up at a fast pace, getting steadily bigger and bigger as it neared. Merlin sent it whizzing into his hand where it just missed cutting his palm.

He immediately looked at Arthur who, oblivious as always, had completely missed the whole thing.

Merlin turned the knife around in his fist so that it stroked the inside of the bristly rope. He didn't plan on dropping it so he carefully began to rub it up and down on the twine. He could hear it snapping and suddenly it was loose around his wrists.

He quickly dropped the knife, which hurtled back to earth again, and pretended to be rubbing the ropes like he had suggested.

If Arthur thought that he had simply worn the rope away with rubbing then it would be a perfect cover up to his illegal use of magic.

"I've got it!" He suddenly cried and pulled his hands out from behind him, the rope falling off to the cage floor as he did so.

Arthur's eyes widened with surprise, as did his mouth, into a grin.

"Well don't just sit there! Untie me!"

Merlin crawled over and untied the ropes behind Arthur, the cage wobbling precariously at the change of weight.

Once free and rubbing his sore wrists Arthur kicked the door of the crate open. The hatch snapped easily but now another problem arose. How to get out of the cage and onto the platform that was meters away.

"Right…umm…it'll be risky but if we climb on top of this cage then we could jump to that one and then to the platform." Arthur suggested unsurely, pointing at the different places he mentioned in turn, his arm sticking out of the small square door of the cage.

"If we fall there's no coming back." Merlin pointed out.

"Which is why I said it was risky."

There was a heavy pause as they both stuck their heads out of the cage and looked down at the drop below, swallowing at the thought of falling.

"You first." Merlin voiced both of their thoughts.

"Fine, its not like its gonna make any difference." Arthur said, submitting himself to the dreaded fate.

Merlin shuffled back into the one of the corners of the cramped cage so that Arthur would have room to get out. The cage was still wobbling like mad at all this movement and Merlin was quiet convinced that the rope that held it would snap.

Arthur went out backwards, with his head going first, so that he could grab the top of the cage and pull himself out that way. The crate lurched horribly, throwing poor Merlin from left to right as the prince hauled himself onto the roof, his legs scrabbling on the sides and floundering in the air.

He threw himself onto the rope that held the cage and clung onto it for dear life, desperately trying to not look down and the heart in his rib cage thumped so hard it hurt.

"Y…your turn." He stuttered, trying to catch his breath that had lodged itself in his throat, almost choking him.

Merlin poked his head warily out of the hatch and pulled himself up the same way Arthur had, refusing to look down and sweating not only with the heat but also with fright. He latched onto Arthur's ankle, the prince having stood up and now hugging the rope like a life support.

A crow that had been perched on the edge of the cage flew off, cawing, as Merlin clambered to his feet, also clinging to the thin rope.

The whole idea of jumping to one of the other cages didn't seem such a good one now. The closest one seemed to be miles away from up here.

Arthur took a deep breath and let it out slowly, making a long hiss.

"Okay. You go over to that corner to balance it out while I jump, but don't let go of the rope. Right?" He said.

"Yeah but who's going to balance it out for when I jump?"

"Umm…don't worry. It'll be fine." Arthur replied in a rather uncomforting tone of voice.


	8. Chapter Eight

Arthur swung his arms to gain momentum, also rocking the cage, and prepared for the huge leap that would take him to the next crate.

The last thought that went through his mind before he jumped was that maybe he was going mad.

Then he jumped.

He sailed through the air for a moment, his arm swinging around like a windmill before he crashed stomach first into the other cage, winding him.

He grabbed one of the cage bars before he could slide off and hauled himself onto its roof, shaking with adrenalin and almost petrified with fright.

One cage closer to the platform.

It was Merlin's turn now however and Arthur had serious doubts that the boy could make it, especially with a broken rib. It was then that the realization of how Merlin had obtained his injury hit him. He had got it defending him from the bear, saving his life yet again. Another thing to add to the list of things he owed Merlin.

Arthur emerged from his thoughts, interrupted by Merlin who had just said he was about to jump.

He looked ridiculously scared and who wouldn't be given the currant situation? Arthur had a good deal of sympathy for him. He did after all know what it felt like, having jumped first.

Merlin began to swing the cage as Arthur had done so that the gap would become shorter. He leapt, the wind causing his black hair to fly back from his forehead. Arthur had worried but he needn't have done as Merlin crashed head first onto the cage, well clear from the edge.

Arthur offered him the hand that wasn't glued to the rope, and Merlin stood up shakily, his knees almost knocking.

The next jump was even further than the last but it was the final one so that was a mercy, if small.

On the same wavelength the two young men took opposite sides of the rope and began to swing the cage back and forth, closer and closer to solid ground. The crane creaked awfully and Arthur was sure it was going to snap but it was strong and didn't break.

The crate was swinging over the platform; all that remained to do now was jump.

"On the count of three!" Arthur shouted, the wind whipping his hair one way and then the other as the cage swung.

Merlin nodded in reply and the prince began to count.

"One, two, three!"

As the crate hovered over the rock they leapt at the same time, hitting the hard and dusty ground and rolling over and over, finally free from the crow cages.

The rope that had held the cage over the precise snapped just as their feet left the crate and the cage was sent cascading down the cliff, knocking off the sides and breaking into a hundred pieces.

Merlin climbed to his feet, as did Arthur but not before spiting a glob of sandy spit out of his mouth.

"Come on. We need to get away from here." Merlin said, eyeing the place as though some huge beast or hungry crow was lurking in wait for them behind a rock or tree.

"I second that entirely but we need to know where we're going first."

"Home." Merlin said simply.

"Exactly. But where is it?"

They turned around for a moment, scanning the huge plain before them for any sign of the tall white turrets of Camelot, but none appeared.

"That river must have carried us pretty far…" Merlin mused.

"Maybe there's a settlement in the forest that can help. Give us a guide or something." Arthur suggested, pointing to a vast forest behind him.

"How long do you reckon it'll take to get there?" Merlin asked. The forest was pretty far off.

"I don't know. Maybe…" Arthur looked at the sun that showed him it was roughly around four o'clock, "…six hours, perhaps five."

"We'd better get going then."

"Yes. Come on." Arthur nodded and began making his way down the huge rock via the steep winding path, Merlin following in his wake.

After a few hours of trudging towards the forest across the dusty plain the weather took a turn for the worst and black storm clouds filled the grey sky, casting huge shadows over the ground.

It began to splatter rain as they entered the forest, the noise pitter-pattering off the leaves on the huge trees, the droplets breaking into a hundred more as it hit the leaves.

Very soon the rain was coming down in bucketfuls, soaking them both to the skin as they traipsed down one of the muddy tracks. It was also becoming dark and as the shadows grew longer and longer and the full moon climbed steadily higher into the sky Merlin had doubts that the silent Arthur ahead had any idea where they were.

He sprinted for a second to catch the prince up so that he might inquire to their where abouts.

"Do you actually know where we're going?" He yelled through the storm.

"Not a clue." Arthur said cheerfully, digging his hands into his wet pockets and continuing to trudge down the path, a dribble of rain falling off his nose.

"Can't we stop? It's nearly midnight! Maybe find something to eat?" Merlin asked hopefully.

"Yeah. Good idea." Arthur stopped, running a hand though his rain slicked hair and looking around for a moment before he veered off the path to take shelter under a tree.

"We're camping here then?" Merlin asked, following him under the tree.

"As best we can, yeah. You go that way, see if you can find some berries or something."

"Okay."

Merlin headed off in the direction that Arthur had suggested and soon found a blackberry bush, its branches heavy with berries. He picked them, using the bottom of his soaking wet shirt to keep them in. Soon he had a reasonable amount of the black fruit as well as a good deal of pricks from the thorns that protected them.

Sucking his fingers on one hand and the other holding his shirt that held the berries, his face was illuminated by a sudden flash of lightning that streaked across the dark sky.

It was going to be a long night.


	9. Chapter Nine

Huddled with Arthur under the prince's sopping wet coat to escape the rain, Merlin wondered how they were to get out of this stupid forest and get back to Camelot.

Ahh, Camelot. The word alone brought pleasant memories back to Merlin. How great it would be to sit in front of a blazing fire in Gaius's chambers, his toes toasty warm, not sitting in squelching wet boots. And of course not forgetting a steaming hot stew sitting in his lap, warming his hands and filling his growling stomach that had not been satisfied by the blackberries.

Merlin wiped yet another splat of water off his face that had just dripped off one of the coat's buttons into his eye again. The rain was still going as strong as ever, lightning bolts tearing across the black sky and thunder rumbling like huge heavenly drums in the distance.

On the walk through the forest Arthur hadn't spoken much (there wasn't a lot to talk about) but one of the things he had mentioned was that his father would probably have hundreds of search parties out for them, hunting high and low for his son who, along with his manservant had been missing for nearly a week now.

The soldiers wouldn't find them though. How could they possibly know where to begin?

Merlin didn't even know if he and Arthur were in the kingdom of Camelot or another one entirely. He had never been in this forest before and from how Arthur acted, nether had he. The trees that creaked in the stormy and wet wind were not at all like the ones near the castle and the sandy plain before the forest was even less like the lush green rolling hills that inhabited Camelot.

Ahh, Camelot.

The sun slowly climbed up from the horizon, casting long orange rays through the dense trees, bathing Merlin's tired face in gold.

Suddenly Arthur stirred beside him and yawned loudly, stretching and throwing the soaking coat off him in the processes.

"Flipping rain." He groaned, wringing out the jacket.

"Good morning to you to." Merlin said cheerfully, also yawning.

"Get any sleep?"

"Not much. You want the rest of the blackberries?"

"Umm…I sort of ate them when you were asleep." Arthur mumbled, getting up and stretching again.

"Oh, great. Well what are we supposed to eat now?"

"You go and get some more blackberries. I'll find some wood for a fire."

Arthur hung his jacket on a branch to dry and strolled off into the forest to find wood.

Merlin returned to the blackberry bush and after picking as many berries as his shirt would allow he made his way back to the tree, where he found Arthur trying to make a fire with a few soggy sticks and a flint.

"Ooh, lumfley!" Arthur exclaimed with his mouth full, beginning to stuff his face as Merlin dumped the berries on the floor. He discarded the flints and his lips began to darken with the black juice.

Merlin picked up the flints and began chipping away with them, occasionally grabbing a handful of the berries. An inconspicuous flash of gold later and a spark flared out from the stones, lighting one of the sticks. Merlin picked it up and began to blow it, the stick bursting into flame. He lit the other twigs and soon he had a respectable fire going.

"So where are we going next?" He asked Arthur, warming his hands on the flames as the prince laid his jacket next to the fire to dry.

Arthur picked a long blade of grass out of the ground and chewed on it thoughtfully before answering.

"Well, I thought tha-" He began but suddenly there was a shout from somewhere up ahead, towards the track.

They both sprung up, Arthur's hand going to the hilt of his absent sword instinctively.

"What was that?" Merlin spun around in search of the source of the sound.

The shout came again and suddenly a running figure appeared around the distant corner of the muddy track.

"HELP!" The figure yelled desperately still running from an invisible foe.

Arthur and Merlin jumped out onto the path to see who the person was.

It was a lad (somewhere around nineteen) with shockingly blonde hair and a strange, black, sleeveless coat that showed his pale arms. Even from a distance you could also see he wore an odd red choker that clung tightly around his neck.

He seemed to be in some distress, clearly terrified by whatever it was that he was running from. The said thing had yet to show its self however.

"IT'S COMING! IT'S COMING!" The boy yelled madly.

He was only a few feet away now and he suddenly grabbed Merlin by the shoulders, desperately trying to drag him with him down the track away from whatever it was that was chasing him.

"What's coming?" Merlin yelped as the boy pulled him along, a confused Arthur jogging along beside them.

"THAT!" The boy stopped and pointed a long arm back down the track the way he had come.

Arthur and Merlin both looked back in the direction he was designating and saw a terrible creature pounding down the path.

It was blackish grey with hunched shoulders that brought its head into being part of its chest, its massive pupil-less eyes set like huge glowing red orbs where its lower neck should have been. It vaguely resembled a misshapen dog with overly long and spindly legs, thin body and mane of short ash coloured fur that ran around the back of its neck and down its lean back. In height it was about eight or nine foot tall and huge mandibles that were it's mouth, which resembled those of a gigantic spider made up for at least two of those measurements.

One look at this awful creature and both Merlin and Arthur turned heel and raced after the blonde boy for all they were worth.

The beast lopped along behind them at a speedy pace, its long legs throwing it over the ground with ease.

Merlin felt its hot breath on the back of his neck and shot a fleeting glance over his shoulder. He did a double take, seeing that it's spider like jaws were only inches away from snapping him in half.

Too caught up with how suddenly close it was he missed the rock that was embedded in the pathway before him and he tripped over it, falling face first into the mud, yelling with surprise.

Arthur, who was ahead, heard him and spun round to see the horrible creature almost upon his friend.

"Merlin!" He ran at the creature, foolishly thinking he had a chance against it.

The beast flung a talon like paw at him that sent him flying into a tree and hitting it painfully.

Arthur picked himself up hurriedly and saw Merlin battling fiercely with the creature's mandibles, his hands pushing them apart as they tried to slice him in half.

Before Arthur had time to leap to his friends aid the boy was drawing his sword and charging at the beast himself.

It leapt back at the sight of the glinting metal and Merlin, thankfully unhurt, scrabbled away quickly.

The beast snarled with a scraping, screeching noise like a huge dieing bird and threw a swipe in the boy's direction.

He sidestepped agilely and thrust the sword at the creatures shoulder but it whipped around before he could touch it. It swung its head/shoulders and rammed into the lad, knocking him flat to the ground and sending his sword spinning through the air to where it landed, feet away from Arthur.

The beast leaned over the dazed boy, ready to kill its prey.

Arthur caught up the sword and lunged at the thing, hurtling over the ground like a missile and shouting a war cry like a mad man. It swung around with surprise and without hesitation Arthur drove the sword into one of its abnormally large red eyes.

The sword was yanked from his fist as it reared up into the air, screeching with pain and the sword still protruding from its head. It dropped to its thin knees and convulsed for a moment, writhing in agony before final becoming still and breathing no more.


	10. Chapter Ten

"Are you alright, Merlin?" Arthur asked before doing anything else.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Merlin replied, hurriedly letting going of his rib that was aching more than ever.

"You saved my life!" The boy suddenly said, climbing to his feet and staring at Arthur.

"I do it all the time. Ask him! He should know!" Arthur replied, waving a hand at Merlin and grinning.

"I'm Elliot." The boy said, extending a hand to Arthur, a mask of utter amazement plastered all over his face and relief swimming in his large blue eyes.

"I'm Arthur and that's Merlin." Arthur said, taking the hand offered to him and shaking it.

"I thought I'd seen it all! What was that thing?" Merlin said, gazing at the dead beast.

"I'm no expert but I think it was a Behemoth." Elliot said, going over to the creature's carcass and kicking it to make sure it was dead.

"Why was it chasing you?"

"Don't know. I was just doing sentry duty when it appeared out of no where." Elliot explained, yanking his sword from the creature's eye and wiping it on the grass before sheathing it into its scabbard.

"Sentry duty?" Arthur asked.

"Well yeah…duh."

Arthur and Merlin both gave him blank looks.

"Well, come on! Where you been living? Don't you know there's a war on?" Elliot said, laughing as if it was some kind of joke.

"War?" They asked simultaneously, frowning with confusion.

"I take it your not from around here then?"

"We're from Camelot." Arthur said.

"Whoa! Shmancy! How'd you wind up here?"

"Long story." Merlin replied.

"Long walk." Elliot said.

"Walk to where?" Arthur asked.

"Camp of course! Look, I'm not supposed to let anyone into camp but you just saved my life and you look kinda lost so I'm gonna make an exception."

"We _are_ lost." Merlin said before Arthur could deny the allegations.

"Come on then. I know loads of people who can help back at camp." Elliot said, beginning to walk down the track and looking back at them expectantly.

They all began to walk down the path, leaving the dead beast where it lay, the light breeze ruffling its matted mane of ash coloured fur.

"So, what's this long story all about?" Elliot asked.

"Don't ask me. I was unconscious for most of it." Merlin laughed.

"We were hunting and then this huge bear appeared from nowhere and attacked us-" Arthur began but was interrupted.

"Is that how you broke your rib?" Elliot asked Merlin.

"How did you know?" Merlin frowned with confusion.

"I've seen enough injuries to know when something's wrong. You lean over to your left side."

"Anyway, like I was saying, it attacked us and we fell off into a river that carried us to somewhere where I was found by a gang of bandits who decided because we knew where their camp was that we had to be executed." Arthur said.

"So they took us to these cages to be eaten crows." Merlin added.

"You escaped the crow cages?!" Elliot exclaimed.

"Clearly." Arthur pointed out, gesturing at his aliveness.

"No one's ever escaped them before. My Uncle was caught once and…" Elliot trailed off.

"You mean this whole war thing is with them?" Merlin asked.

"Yeah."

"Hang on, whoa, back up. Lets get thing straight. There's no war going on in Camelot. Where are we exactly?" Arthur demanded.

"Well right now we're kinda on the border between Camelot and Eldred." Elliot explained.

"What's this war all about anyway?" Merlin asked.

"Land. They came a few months ago and demanded our land. Of course we refused to let them have it so now they're trying to take it by force. Like that's ever gonna happen!" Elliot snorted.

"Who are they?" Arthur inquired.

"No idea. They came right out of the blue."

"Their leader isn't called Almaric by any chance?"

"You've met him then?"

"Unfortunately."

By this time they had walked down the entire track, turned the corner and gone down the next track to the left.

"Right, well, here we are!" Elliot said smugly and waltzed down a smaller side path, Merlin and Arthur following.

They entered a clearing to find a huge camp with several tents on the ground and actual houses build amongst the treetops, long bridges linking them all together.

This camp, like the bandits camp, was teeming with life, dozens of people bustling about. This settlement differed from the other though as there where several women and children sitting around, the children playing a game of tag, one of them squealing as they were caught.

"Welcome to our camp! We…err don't have a name for it yet."

"You set this all up in a few months?" Arthur exclaimed.

"Pretty much yeah. Oh, look. That's my twin sister Amy, there." Elliot pointed to a pretty blonde girl who was coming towards them, her dark blue eyes flashing curiously at the newcomers.

"Who are…oh, _wow_! You are _gorgeous_! Umm…I mean hi…" Amy stuttered, her ears going a violent shade of magenta as she saw Merlin.

Elliot ignored this as though it happened all the time.

"Amy, Merlin, Merlin, Amy. Arthur, Amy, Amy, Arthur." He said as they shook hands, the girl's pink ears going scarlet as a slightly scared Merlin took her hand.

"I…umm…" Amy muttered and cleared her throat, "so…err…why exactly have you brought two strangers into camp?"

"They saved my life actually! I think they deserve our help. They're from Camelot and they're lost." Elliot explained.

"Oh, really? You'll be staying here a while then?" She asked hopefully, sending a shy smile at Merlin who thought it looked like a hungry shark.

"Until you can spare a guide to take us back home. We wont be any trouble." Arthur promised.

"Oh, I wouldn't mind if you were." Amy giggled at Merlin who shifted uncomfortably.

"How's father?" Elliot asked and the girl's mischievous eyes became suddenly serious.

"Same as before. He was asking for you earlier. I'll find them some food if you like."

"Thanks." Elliot nodded before bidding his leave.

"Come on, Merlin. I'll cook you some rabbit if you want." Amy said, grabbing Merlin's sleeve and dragging him towards the camp.

Merlin sent a "HELP ME" plea over his shoulder at Arthur who was desperately trying to suppress a fit of laughter.


	11. Chapter Eleven

Merlin practically hid behind Arthur as Amy tried once again to get him to sit next to her while they ate the rabbit she had cooked over the fire that they were currently sitting before.

"I've got some more parsley over here Merlin if you want it." She said, patting the log beside her and waving a bunch of green herbs.

"Umm…no thanks. I'm good." Merlin mumbled and busied himself with taking a bite out of the rabbit he held.

Amy's lib wobbled and she put the herbs down, hanging her head dejectedly.

"Aww, look, Merlin. You've gone and broken her heart!" Arthur teased, grinning devilishly.

Merlin said nothing but threw a murderous look at the prince.

Suddenly Elliot appeared from a tent and made his way over to Merlin and Arthur.

"I told my father about you and he wants to meet you." He said.

Arthur discarded the remainders of his rabbit and followed Elliot back into the tent, Merlin scurrying along at his heels before Amy could do or say something to make him stay.

The inside of the tent was small and dark, only lit by a few small candles. In the centre, near the back, there was a small camper bed with a heap of animal skin rugs on it, moving up and down steadily as the person underneath them breathed.

As they drew closer they saw an elderly man was on the bed. He had long grey hair and a pale face, wrinkly and old. His right arm that was above the blankets was in a blood-incrusted sling, clearly broken.

"He was critically wounded in the last battle." Elliot explained in a whisper at a questioning glance from Arthur.

"Elliot? Elliot, is that you?" The old man said at the sound of his son's voice.

"Yes father, I'm here."

"Help me up." The man said and Elliot obediently propped the man up so that his legs were hanging over the side of the bed.

He took Merlin and Arthur in for a moment before speaking.

"My son tells me you saved his life from a Behemoth. I am grateful. My name is Adrian, the leader of these men. Do you wish to stay with us a while until we can spare you a guide?" He said in a cracked voice.

"If that would be possible, yes." Arthur replied.

"Eh? What's that? Speak up lad!" Adrian cupped a wrinkly hand to his ear.

"If that would be possible, yes." Arthur said a little louder.

"Aye, very well, but you must earn your keep."

"Of course but Merlin here has a broken rib. May he be excused?"

"A broken rib you say?"

"Yes."

"Elliot, have Bryce fix it up." Adrian ordered and Elliot obediently took Merlin outside.

"I know you." He stated, turning to Arthur, once they had left.

"You do?"

"You are the crowned prince of Camelot are you not? I saw you once on my travels."

"Yes, I am."

Adrian pondered over this for a while, almost for so long that Arthur considered getting up and leaving from the chair he had adopted.

"Will you please fetch my daughter Amy, dear boy?" The old man suddenly asked.

"Of course."

Arthur made his way out of the tent and went over to Amy who was poking the fire, dreamily staring at the sky.

She heard him approach and jumped up.

"Arthur? Can I ask you something?"

"Sure but your father wants you in the tent."

"Yes, yes. Umm…what does Merlin like?" She said.

"Like?"

"Does he have a favourite type of food or thing or whatever?"

Arthur could see she was consulting him on what to get Merlin, as it seemed she had taken it upon herself to get him a present.

"He likes scarves. Red ones. You know the sort that hang round your neck." Arthur replied, hiding an amused smirk badly.

A grin crept slowly across her face and she made her into her father's tent, a thoughtful expression on her face.

Arthur chuckled to himself and looked around for Merlin who would be somewhere with Elliot and a physician, Bryce that Adrian had mentioned.

Sure enough Merlin was some way off sitting on a log, a big man with an even bigger moustache expecting his injuries. The man must have been Bryce as he was holding a box of surgical equipment and a bundle of bandages.

As Arthur got closer he could see the mans huge black moustache leaping up and down on his upper lip as he told Merlin to hold still for the tenth time as he tried to wrap a bandage over the gash on his chest.

It had healed well and seemed to have shrunk slightly and Arthur was glad that his friend would be all right.

"Ah, Arthur." Elliot said as he came over, "Can you sharpen swords because if you can then that's one of the things you can do to earn your keep like my father said." He suggested.

"Sure."

"Right, go over there and find Alistair. He'll get you started."

"Will do." Arthur nodded and walked over to where Elliot had pointed, behind one of the tents.

He found Alistair (a tall lanky boy with curly brown hair) and proceeded to sharpen a huge heap of swords that took him most of the day to finish.

He was taking a breather and watching the sun go down when Merlin, Elliot and Amy (clutched firmly onto Merlin's arm like a leach) appeared.

"You done?" Elliot asked, inspecting one the swords with an expert eye.

"Yep."

"Right, well its time we found you somewhere to sleep. It'll probably be one of the tree houses." Elliot said, pointing to one of the wooden huts in the sky.

"I'll get the mattresses!" Amy volunteered and reluctantly detached herself from Merlin's arm, running off into one of the tents to fetch sleeping mats.

"Follow me." Elliot waved a hand for them to come and made his way over to a long wooden ladder that led up to the labyrinth of tree houses.

Having climbed the stairs they wobbled their way across a dozen rope bridges to the central and largest house where they found a huge room with hundreds of mats on the floor and a few people already turned in for the night.

Amy appeared with two mattresses and two blankets and Arthur couldn't help but notice she gave the thickest and more comfortable looking ones to Merlin.

Elliot found his own mat somewhere in one of the corners of the room and bayed them goodnight, leaving them to find their own spots amongst the hundreds of mattresses.

They found an empty patch and Arthur slammed his mat onto the floor, soon following it.

It was one of those mattresses that gave you the hint of comfort but not quite enough and instead just teased you into the thought of luxury but then made it worse because it wasn't there for the taking.

Arthur pulled the blanket over himself and tried to ignore Merlin who kept tossing and turning and the man on the other side of him who was dribbling and snoring like a thunderstorm.

Yet another long night.


	12. Chapter Twelve

Arthur was woken early the next morning by a hand that was suddenly thrown over his face. He pushed the sleeping Merlin's arm off him and sat up, rubbing his face sleepily. A glance at the window showed him it was around five in the morning, the white light of dawn shinning through the glassless opening and bathing the room in light.

There was a good deal more people in the tree house, all asleep and snoring loudly. Arthur shoved the noise as best he could to the back of his head and knowing he would not be able to sleep again he got up and shuffled drowsily over to the window, picking his way through the sleeping forms all around.

The camp lay below, half shrouded in a foggy mist, the odd early riser moving sleepily about, poking a fire or stirring a stew.

Yawning Arthur watched one of them idly, having nothing better to do.

Suddenly there was the smallest of yelps and the person disappeared.

Arthur snapped to attention and peered down at where the person had been. A man appeared and for a moment he thought it was the person he had been watching but then another man appeared and then another. He noticed one of them had fiery orange hair and recognized the man immediately.

It was Finnie.

He must be leading an ambush into the camp. But how had they found it? Easy question, easily answered. The camp was not the best hidden in the world, only a few hundred yards from the track and with dozens of houses poking out of the tree tops.

He and Merlin would have seen it the previous night had the weather not been so bad.

Without thinking he kicked a sleeping man near him awake and yelled loudly so that every one else would wake up.

"RAISE THE ALARM!" He shouted, not knowing if there was an alarm but shouting it anyway.

The room was awake in a split second, the men leaping up with surprise and all looking around confusedly.

"IT'S _THEM_!" He yelled, pointing desperately at the window to which everyone crowded to, squishing him against the wall in the attempt to see what was gong on.

They saw the men swarming into the camp like ants and immediately sprinted for the door at break neck speed.

"What's going on?" Merlin demanded, pushing through the crowd towards Arthur.

"It's Finnie and co. They've found the camp!"

Merlin stuck his head out the window to see the that the men had met Finnie's troop and were clashing swords, the noise loud and pounding through his still half asleep head.

"Come on!" Arthur grabbed him and dragged him out the tree house.

They raced over the bridges and slid down the ladder, Arthur grabbing two nearby swords and throwing one to Merlin.

The prince ducked as an arrow flew past, narrowly missing his ear. A man flew at him, his sword nearly cutting him but Arthur whipped round and whacked the man over the head with the butt of his own sword. He fell to the ground but Arthur had no time to finish him off as another man bowled into him, knocking him flat.

Arthur felt the cold sharpness of a sword at his throat and opened his eyes to see the man who had spat in his eye in the tent; the one Almaric had called Kaden.

"You!" Kaden growled and narrowed his eyes.

"There is no way my luck is that bad!" Arthur said before kicking the man off him with a strong leg and sending him flying over his head.

Arthur was up in a second and unfortunately so was he.

They clashed swords, their faces only centimetres away from each other, the man's rancid breath stinging Arthur's nostrils. He pushed hard against the older man's sword and the metal slid away, scraping noisily. The prince rolled to the left as Kaden flew at him again. He wasn't fast enough and the man kicked him hard in the side with a hobnail boot.

Arthur tumbled away a few feet, groaning in pain and trying to regain his breath that had been knocked out of him.

This opponent was not only bigger, older and faster than he was but out for revenge for tripping him in the tent. Arthur knew he would win though. He always did.

Merlin was having problems of his own. He had no idea how to wield a sword and was only fending off his assailants by pure luck.

That and a little magic.

A flash of gold and another bandit found his sword slipping out of his hands and flying away into a tree.

Merlin rammed into him, digging his sharp shoulders into the other mans ribs, knocking them both into a tent. The man crashed into a table and Merlin ducked as he threw a metal goblet at him.

Yet another flash of gold later and the cup was flying right back at the man, knocking him out.

Merlin stumbled out of the tent, clutching his broken rib, and saw the unmistakeable red hair of Finnie entering Adrian's tent, clearly wanting to kill the men's leader.

Pushing the pain of his rib to the back of his mind, Merlin's eyes roved the battle before him, desperately trying to find Arthur. If anyone were to protect Adrian it would be him.

He saw the familiar blonde head and rushed over, dodging through the fight towards his friend.

Arthur was fighting that man he had tripped in the tent. What was it Almaric had called him? Kaden?

Arthur looked in a bad way, his nose gushing blood and a long slash down his forearm. He was too busy to help anyone but himself right now. It was up to Merlin.

He ran towards the tent and entered it to find Adrian bravely fighting for his life but looking weaker than ever, with a purple bruise on his head.

Finnie was standing over him, about to deal the killing blow.

Merlin knocked the sword out of his hand and ducked as a fist flew his way.

Finnie drew a short dagger from his belt and slashed at Merlin.

Merlin jumped back, the blade just missing his stomach but Finnie leapt at him, striking a blow that just caught the side of his cranium, the dagger cutting his forehead.

Scarlet blinded Merlin for a moment as the blood drizzled into his eye but he wiped it away and jumped back again, trying to tempt Finnie out of the tent and away from Adrian.

Arthur whacked a blow over Kaden's head that sent him straight to the floor and wiped the blood away from his nose where the man had punched him.

He spun around and saw that the ambushers were beginning to retreat. Some stayed, fighting bravely, but they would soon be seen off by their opponents.

Now the clearing was less crowded Arthur looked around for Merlin, seeing him duck from a swipe that came from Finnie in Adrian's tent.

Arthur was at Merlin's side before he even had time to think and was striking a blow at Finnie that hit its mark.

Finnie fell, knees first, to the ground, his beady eyes wide with shock and pain.

Merlin ran over to Adrian who was on the floor of his tent, breathing irregularly and writhing with agony at the sword that had somehow managed to cut him even though Merlin had knocked it out of Finnie's hand.

"NO!" Someone suddenly shouted and Elliot raced past Arthur, knocking Merlin out of the way and going to his dieing father.

"Elliot." The old man hissed in pain.

"Do something!" Elliot yelled randomly at Merlin who just stood and stared in shock.

"Elliot." Adrian mumbled again.

"Yes?" Elliot said, tears falling freely down his face.

"Elliot, someone must take over when I'm gone. I had hoped that I would last long enough to see you become ready but I have not. You are still too inexperienced, too young."

"But then who will take your place father?"

"Arthur here is not just Arthur. He is the crowned prince of Camelot. He knows how to lead men in a way you or I never could. I have not known him for a long time but in the short time I have, I have seen how he cares for others. He is a honourable man. He may not be my son but he is what these men need, a good leader." Adrian stopped and coughed up a lump of blood, "I want you to become the leader of these men Arthur Pendragon. Lead them to victory. Do you accept a dieing man's wish?" He choked, turning his head to Arthur who stood silent, ridged in shock.

"I…" Arthur stuttered, his face going pale, "Yes." He said and nodded his head slowly.

"But-" Elliot began.

"Hush my son. This is my will. Do you respect me enough to obey it?"

"Yes father." Elliot held his father in his arms as the old man breathed his last.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

"Are the women and children safe?" Arthur quietly asked no one in particular.

Elliot stood up from where he had been cradling his father. His face was ashen but hard. This boy had seen enough of war and knew that grieving too heavily for his father would not bring the man back.

"Yes." He croaked and fell into a chair.

"Father!" Someone shouted and Amy ran out from a tent where she had hid after the alarm was raised. She knelt beside her father and tears dripped from her face as she hugged him for the last time.

She looked up and sniffed in despair, looking as though she was about to die herself with grief but then she saw Merlin, or to be more accurate the cut on his forehead.

"Merlin! You're hurt!" She cried and went to fuss over the cut, a reluctant Merlin subjecting himself to a damp cloth being draped over his forehead, muttering something about being fine.

Arthur looked over the wrecked camp, tents crushed and a few injured men being helped up by their comrades.

"Umm…someone find Bryce and ask him to help the wounded." He ordered and a shocked man who had overheard the conversation between Adrian and Arthur scuttled away, "Elliot, can you oversee the rebuilding of the tents?" Arthur asked, turning to Elliot who was slumped in a chair, staring into space.

He stood up silently, his expression unreadable, and regrouped a few men to repair the tents.

"Do you want me to wrap up that cut…umm…sire?" Bryce suddenly appeared, his moustache bristlier than ever as it hopped up and down on his lip.

"Huh? What?" Arthur asked distractedly, suddenly realizing there was a long cut on his forearm, "No, no. Go help the others first." He said and Bryce reluctantly obeyed.

Arthur took a deep breath.

He had just been made captain of a bunch of men he had known for less than a day and for some reason he wasn't apprehensive about it. All he had in his mind was to do as Adrian's last words had instructed and lead the old man's men to victory.

He thought logically.

He would need a second in command for starters. He considered Elliot but he needed someone he knew better and could trust completely. Arthur trusted Merlin with his life and he was the obvious choice.

"Merlin?" He said and Merlin looked up from where Amy was patting a wet cloth over his forehead (even though all the blood had gone.)

He managed to escape the girl and went over to Arthur, a questioning look on his face.

"What?" He asked.

"If I'm to lead these men to the best of my ability, which is what I intend to do, I need your help. I need you to become my second in command, for now at least."

"Me?" Merlin's eyes went wide with surprise.

Arthur nodded.

"Well…umm…what do you want me to do?" He mumbled.

"Go help Elliot rebuild the tents then gather everyone in one of the tree houses. I need to talk to them. If they don't do as asked then tell them to talk to Elliot. Okay?"

"Okay." Merlin replied and jogged off to find Elliot, slightly dazed.

Amy made to follow him but stopped and walked away, wiping a tear from her cheek as she saw her father out of the corner of her eye.

Arthur had some men take Finnie and Adrian away to be buried, Adrian in a place of honour and Finnie far away. Elliot and Amy went with them and came back with stony faces.

By that time the tents had been repaired, Merlin had successfully gathered everyone in the largest tree house, where they waited for Arthur, unsure of what exactly was going on and why some strange guy was ordering them around.

Arthur made his way in and stood on a table that had been brought to the middle of the room.

He cleared his throat and swallowed a lump that had grown there, nervous at all the eyes that stared at him in a seemingly accusing way.

"What's going on?" One of the men piped up, "Who are you? Who's he?" He said, jabbing a finger in Merlin's direction.

"I am prince Arthur of Camelot." Arthur said, causing confused murmurs to ripple through the crowd, "And this is Merlin, my loyal friend and manservant who I have appointed my stand-in." He said, dragging an unenthusiastic Merlin onto the table with him.

The crowd continued to mutter.

"Go back to your castle!" What gives you the right to boss us around? Someone shouted.

"You're quite right to question about that but just before he died Adrian made me your leader." Arthur tried to explain.

"You expect us to belive that?" Someone else yelled.

"You should." Elliot spoke up, pushing to the front of the crowd, "It's true. I was there."

Murmurings erupted again.

"We may have won the battle but we haven't won the war if that is indeed what this is." Arthur said, hinting that he wanted an explanation of why there was a war going on.

"Almaric took our land! Forced us out!"

"Then let us take it back! You can beat them but only if we help you!" Arthur parried.

"What do you want in return?" Someone shouted.

"Only to go home."

The crowd frowned as one but then gathered into a circle so that they might decide Merlin and Arthur's fate. They turned back, Elliot at the front at their spokes person.

"We'll help you get home if you help us drive them out of our land." He said and the men behind him nodded in agreement.

"Thank you." Arthur said.

"Well then "leader" what do you want us to do?" Alistair asked.

"Almaric's men will be sore from our fight today. If we attack as soon as we can then it will be easier because they will be weaker and not expecting an assault so soon." Arthur mused, "Have you any maps?"

"Maps?" Elliot frowned.

"We were held captive in their camp for a few days and I have a pretty rough idea of where it is. If I have a map I'm sure we can find it."

Elliot motioned to one of the men and he scurried away, returning with a bunch of scrolls and maps, which he spread out on the table top as Arthur and Merlin jumped off.

"We know they're near the river somewhere but we never could find it." Elliot informed them as they poured over the maps.

"The dungeon was carved out of a rock. Maybe it's that one." Merlin said, pointing with a long finger at a picture of a hill that was near the river.

"Yes and there was that forest and long track by the river." Arthur said, running a finger along the track's line.

"So the camps there?" Elliot asked, indicating the shadow of the rock.

"Should be, yeah." Merlin said, nodding.

"I knew it! I knew it!" Elliot slammed a fist into the table angrily.

"If we go around-" Arthur began, sweeping a hand across the river but was interrupted by a shout that sounded from the window.

"Truce! Truce!" A voice yelled.

Everyone flew to the window and saw a stranger standing in the middle of the camp, waving a white flag on a stick like a spear at two sentries who were trying to apprehend him. Arthur recognized him as Lenndred, one of the bandits who had found him in the forest when he had dragged himself from the river.

Arthur leapt out of the door and once they were at the foot of the ladder that led to the ground Lendred recognized him and Merlin and tried to approach but a guard held him back.

"He carries a white flag, let him speak." Arthur ordered and the Lenndred yanked himself free of the sentry's clutches.

"I have come on behalf of our leader Almaric to strike a deal with the captain of this side." He said, leaning the flag on his shoulder and gazing at the group before him, "Which of you is Adrian?"

"Adrian died defending himself from your leader's Leftenant, who is also dead. I am the new captain of these men." Arthur said in the tone of voice he used for business.

Lenndred's eyes narrowed with surprise.

"Then is that case Almaric wishes there to be single combat between him and you, that will decide who owns the land. Winner takes all, sudden death."

Arthur pondered this over for a minute.

He knew that Almaric was good, you could just tell with some people. But he also knew that he was better. He stood more than a good chance of beating the man and if he did decide this offer then it would stop a battle that would have many soldiers die on both sides. If he agreed to this deal then he would be saving the lives of many brave men.

"I accept these terms. Where and when does Almaric wish this to take place?" He asked.

"The swamps south east of here at dusk tomorrow." Lenndred replied.

Swamps and dusk didn't sound at all easy going to Arthur but he didn't want this offer to evaporate if he refused.

"I'll be there. Now get out of here." He said and Lenndred scuttled away through the trees, back to his own camp.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

"Is this wise? I mean he said certain death! Don't you think it could be yours?" Merlin voiced his doubts to Arthur as the prince ordered a few men to clear him a temporary training ground.

"He said sudden death, Merlin."

"My point still stands though. I can imagine Almaric being pretty handy with a sword."

"So can I but if I fight in single combat then it will save these men from a battle that I fear would kill most of them."

"But at the cost of your own life?" Merlin grilled.

"I can beat him."

"Maybe…"

"Don't worry about…oh no…"

"What?"

"I'm off!" Arthur promptly turned heel and ran as he saw something behind Merlin.

Merlin spun around to see Amy coming towards him with her shark like grin plastered all over her face and a small package in her hands.

"Hi, Merlin." She said shyly.

"Hi…" He said warily.

"I made you something." She said and handed the package to Merlin.

Merlin, thinking it was some kind of trick, was slightly apprehensive about what might be in the parcel but opened it anyway. He found a red scarf; almost identical to the one the crow had stolen from him, folded neatly inside.

"But how did you know?" He asked, baffled, and tied the scarf around his neck, where it hung perfectly.

"Oh, I have my ways." Amy giggled, "I thought you might wear it for our wedding day."

Merlin froze.

"Sorry, what?"

"I thought an autumn wedding, maybe in a few weeks or so. I'll have a big white dress and pink flowers and you can wear a nice black suit." Amy said, deadly serious, looking up at the sky in thought.

Without a moment's hesitation Merlin ran.

He hurtled into a tent where he found Elliot drinking a glass of ale and sorting through a pile of scrolls.

"Merlin? Merlin?" Amy's voice came from the tent door.

"Hide me!" Merlin hissed and dove under a table, leaving a bemused Elliot to face his sister.

"Elliot? Have you seen Merlin? He just ran off." Amy said and Merlin saw her feet appear at the tent doorway from under the tablecloth.

"Umm…no I haven't seen him." Elliot said and Amy's feet shuffled away, kicking up a few leaves as she went.

"Is it safe?" Merlin hissed.

"Err…yes?"

Merlin dragged himself from beneath the table.

"What exactly is going on? No wait. Don't tell me. Your this weeks victim aren't you?" Elliot said.

"What?"

"Who was it she was going down the aisle with last week? Alistair I think it was. Poor guy just managed to escape. And then it was James the week before and Aaron the week before that." Elliot sighed.

"What am I supposed to do?" Merlin cried.

"Well don't take it personally. You're the latest in a long line. Trust me."

Merlin hurried out of the tent, muttering something about being too young to be married and sprinted away before the still searching Amy could find him.

He found Arthur overseeing the clearing of a small glade that he said he would use for practice for when he fought Almaric.

"So…umm what do you have planned?" He said asked, waving a hand at the clearing and glancing around in case Amy was lurking behind a tree, waiting to ambush him.

"Just a bit of practice. You'll be the dummy of course." Arthur replied with an air of amusement.

"Fine, if it gets me away from Amy. Seriously that girl scares me."

"She scares us all, Merlin. Anyway, enough of clearly deranged girls, I need to practice." Arthur said, clapping Merlin on the shoulder and grabbing a nearby sword.

They practiced for hours and when Arthur was finally finished Merlin felt almost dead. He made his way back to the tree houses and slept like a log while Arthur went to have his forearm bandaged up by Bryce who had finished tending to the other injures in the camp.

"What's this swamp like?" Arthur asked him, watching the man's moustache in fascination as it jumped around on his lip.

"Well, lets just say I'm worried that you accepted that to be the battle ground." The older man said.

"Why?" Arthur frowned.

"Treacherous place that swamp. Anyway, I'm all done here. You can tell your friend his rib will be as good as new in a few days or so."

"Thanks."

It was the next day and it was drawing towards dusk. Arthur had practiced for all he was worth and had been kitted up with some odd bits of armour that Elliot had managed to scrape together so now he, Merlin, Elliot and a troop of men were now making their way to the swamps.

Arthur surveyed the oncoming bog as they rode up on horseback.

It literally looked as though it had been slammed down in the middle of the forest by some large hand from the sky. There were tall fir trees surrounding it and the bog itself was just a marshy lake with thousands of grass blades poking up through the muddy water.

Almaric and his men had not yet arrived so they tied their horses to one of the trees and waited.

Arthur began to grow very nervous, especially when Merlin kept glancing at him worriedly. If Merlin was worried it was probably for a good reason.

It seemed as though the fight was going to take place on the actual swamp itself, as there was a small circular island in the middle of it. Almaric must be good if he thought he could take Arthur on such ground.

He began to have doubt but pushed them away before they could start stabbing at his insides like he knew they would, given the chance. He remembered how they had dragged Merlin over the ground when they had been caught the first time. That made him angry and helped to keep the apprehension away.

Eventually there came a noise up ahead, on the other side of the bog, and everyone leapt up from where they had been sitting, and saw Almaric leading a group of men towards the swamps, weaving through the dark trees like liquid shadows.

Almaric was clad in a good deal of very strong looking armour, which dwarfed Arthur's own odds and ends, and a grotesque mask that looked like some creature that was screaming in agony.

This awful appearance was not comforting Arthur in anyway whatsoever and Merlin, knowing his friend almost better than he knew himself, could see this.

"You can still back out." He whispered to Arthur as Almaric was handed a huge broadsword that was almost the length of a man.

"It's too late now. I have to fight."

"What if he kills you?" Merlin exasperated.

"Then he kills me."

"Why are you risking your own life and the future of Camelot for a bunch of men you don't even know?"

"Are you suggesting I leave them to be driven from their home?" Arthur asked, appalled.

"No!"

"Then what else is there for me to do? Besides Adrian's dieing wish was for me to lead his men."

"What if you start winning and Almaric sets his men on you?"

"Then I'm counting on you, as my second in command, to fight them off. Okay?"

"Just be careful." Merlin sighed.

"Stop worrying about me."

"Oi! I like worrying about you." Merlin grinned.

"What are you waiting for little prince Artie? Waiting for your Daddy's men to fight your battles for you?" Almaric suddenly said, disrupting their conversation.

Arthur turned to see the other side's leader already on the island, brandishing the huge sword and grinning nastily.

He suddenly realized, with some shock, it was the first time he had seen the man smile and noticed that he had a gold tooth that glinted menacingly in the sun.

Arthur took a deep breath and Merlin clapped him on the shoulder before retreating to watch the fight, with Elliot and the men.


	15. Chapter Fiveteen

The prince drew his sword and waded into the bog, the swampy water going up to his waist and seeping into his boots. He clambered onto the island and straightened up.

Suddenly Almaric was upon him, taking him by surprise as he had thought there would be some kind of speech to start the battle. The huge sword clashed onto his own as he put it up just in time, the noise echoing through the trees. Almaric twisted the swords around so that they came apart and dove at Arthur, a mad glint in his eye.

Arthur dodged out of the way just in time, but not before the sword connected with him flimsy armour and caused it to fly off his shoulder and spin away through the air, towards Almaric's men.

The two men circled around the island, sizing each other up, Almaric teasing Arthur with a few bluffing jabs that stroked his sword every now and then.

Arthur lunged at the older man with a straight blow that was meant to hit his stomach but Almaric swung out of the way, causing Arthur to skid to a halt and wobble precariously on the edge of the island. He regained his balance and spun round as yet another heavy blow came, his sword just managing to parry the strike in time.

He shoved Almaric back with an almightily heave and stabbed at him again, narrowly missing but falling onto the ground as the miss unbalanced him. As Arthur recovered from the fall Almaric threw his sword down into the ground but Arthur rolled away before the blade could pierce him.

He grabbed for his own weapon and pulled it up, coiling his arm around the other mans leg to throw him off his feet. It worked and Almaric fell to the floor. Arthur leapt up, as did Almaric and they clashed swords yet again.

Almaric rammed him in the shoulder and shoved the prince off the island into the swamp, both of their swords falling into the water and sinking into the murky depths.

Arthur ducked as Almaric swung a fist at him and then dealt one of his own that threw the man into the swampy water. He dived in and went to grab his opponent but suddenly he felt someone's legs wrapping around his ankles and unbalanced him.

He was under the water before he knew it and suddenly Almaric had clamped his hands over his throat.

Arthur scrabbled at the hands, choking and almost taking in a lungful of water.

Merlin watched on in horror as Arthur was submerged under the swamp, a hundred bubbles flying up from the water, as Almaric attempted to strangle him, shaking the prince violently and holding him under the murky water. One of Arthur's hands clawed desperately at the man's hands that were constricting him and floundered about in the air with the other, sending splashes of water into the crisp cold air.

Merlin had to do something. He could just stand there and watch his best friend being killed.

He didn't even stop to think as he threw a spell in their direction.

"Maybeenea rathtonro gerentha!" He cried and threw his arm out towards the fight, his eyes flashing gold.

Suddenly Almaric was thrown back a good deal of meters and Arthur sprung up, gasping a huge lungful of air and clutching his throat, water dripping from his hair.

Almaric was shocked, but not enough to not lunge for Arthur again.

Arthur managed to dive out of the way as the man splashed through the water towards him. Suddenly he felt something hard beneath his foot that wasn't the muddy ground. It was a sword. He bent down to try and grab the weapon, his fingers just managing to close around the hilt before Almaric flew into him again.

He plunged Arthur into the water, being careful to ram his foot into the prince's arm to stop him from lifting the sword and once again grabbing his neck.

Suddenly the men on the other side of the swamp leapt into action, running with swords drawn at Merlin and Elliot's troop of men.

Merlin drew his sword and fended off a man, shooting a quick glance over his shoulder to try and push Almaric away from Arthur again but the man he was fighting kept him too busy to help anyone.

As Almaric's hands crushed his windpipe Arthur felt his lungs beginning to burn and he began to think that he would do anything, anything at all, just to have a breath of air in his lungs. His thoughts became hazy as his blood scoured the last dregs of oxygen from his lungs. His bulging eyes could just make out a distorted blur of Almaric above him, the man's golden tooth sparkling and his lips curled into a sneer of mirth.

Everything was going into slow motion; the urge to breath was blazing in his throat and lungs, intoxicating his senses.

A voice sang fancifully in the back of his mind. It was exhorting him to relax. Maybe it was the voice of death. He felt himself going limp as Almaric tightened his grip.

Merlin knocked the man away and jumped out of the fray to the edge of the quagmire where he saw Arthur was no longer struggling. His eyes wide with fear Merlin sent the spell at Almaric again and the man flew back, crashing onto the island. Merlin wanted to dive in and drag Arthur out but another man was attacking him and he had no choice but to protect himself.

Arthur felt Almaric being thrown off him again and immediately he rocketed up out of the water.

Air! The most delicious of gases. It filled his starved lungs as he gulped it in.

Coughing up water and delirious of the pleasure of being able to breath again, Arthur waited until his body's panicky request for air faded. Only when it had did he turn to face his opponent who somehow had been thrown back onto the island.

Dazedly, his head pounding, he found the sword that had slipped from his grasp and attempted to dive at Almaric but he swayed on his feet, the sound of his heart pumping in his ears.

His vision was clouding, gradually getting blacker and blacker.

Merlin saw Arthur fall out of the corner of his eye, the sword still clasped firmly in his hand. Almaric was making for it but a flash of gold sent the weapon flying at the man, killing him dead.

Merlin turned back to the fight, trying not to think about what he had just done, even if it had been to save Arthur's life.

The men had suddenly seen their leader was dead and scattered, running off into the trees shouting retreat.

Merlin dropped his sword and dove into the mire, swimming to where Arthur lay, floating on the water. He dragged him out and pulled him onto the bank, quickly checking for a pulse and finding one.


	16. Chapter Sixteen

"What happened?" Arthur groaned as he woke up, clutching his sore, red throat.

He found he was in one of the tents that he recognized to be from the camp and tucked tightly into a bed. Merlin, Elliot and Bryce were there, in that order. Merlin knelt beside the bed, Elliot bending over him and Bryce towering over the both of them, his big, black moustache twitching as usual.

"Well?" Arthur asked.

"Almaric's dead." Merlin said.

"What? I didn't kill him…did I?"

"Well you must have done!" Elliot laughed.

"All his men have gone. We sent a scout out yesterday." Merlin informed him.

"How long have I been out?"

"About a day." Bryce piped up, "You'll be fine once you've hand something to eat and drink."

"And then we can go on our way." Merlin said.

"Home?" Arthur asked, hardly believing it was at last time to go back to Camelot.

"Yep! I'll be your guide. I'll have you back where you belong in no time." Elliot said.

"Bryce, you mentioned food and drink?" Arthur asked, grinning.

A chuckling Bryce went to get Arthur food and Elliot dragged a reluctant Merlin outside, who wanted to stay with his friend and make sure he was ok and even if he was stay with him anyway.

"I saw what you did. You're a sorcerer aren't you?" Elliot said simply once they were out of earshot.

Merlin bit his lip. He knew someone would have seen him.

"Yes." He said hesitantly.

"I wont tell anyone. As far as I'm concerned nothing happened."

"Thank you."

"You'd better get ready. If Bryce lets me I intend to go round about now." Elliot said, looking at the sun that would tell him the time.

"You're going?!" Someone suddenly said and they both turned to see Amy, her lip wobbling in upset.

"Yes, he's going. Look, there's another eligible bachelor over there. Go and annoy him." Elliot commanded and Merlin was surprised to see the girl instantly forget him and run after some poor bloke who legged it as soon as he saw her.

"Sorry about her. She can be a little overbearing. I say little… But at least she's not after you any more. I just feel sorry for that poor chap I just sent her after." Elliot apologized for his sister, grinning sheepishly.

Merlin wasn't quite sure what to say. That girl was the strangest he had ever met.

Once they were all ready to leave, they saddled some horses and rode off at a gallop, bidding their farewells and accepting many a thank you from the entire camp, who could now take back their land and live on in peace.

"You do know we're in for a proper explanation when we get back." Merlin chuckled to Arthur as they galloped along.

"I'm dreading it." Arthur replied.

"What are we gonna tell them?"

"The truth. We were chased by a bear, captured by bandits, fed to crows, escaped the crows, attacked by a Behemoth, killed the Behemoth, taken in by a camp, fought for the camp, almost married off to a camp member, killed Almaric for the camp and now we're going home." Arthur took a deep breath and grinned recklessly.

"And you think they're going to believe that?"

"Yep."

"We are in so much trouble."


End file.
